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Taiwan Region Student Design Competition

2023


We are delighted for the third year to host the Taiwan Region Real Leather. Stay Different. Student Design Competition 2023, a search for the best of Taiwan’s new designers and for those who want to promote slow style and a more sustainable future for fashion.

Are you concerned about fast throwaway fashion and unsustainable materials? According to Greenpeace, synthetics – made using petrochemicals from the oil industry – now make up 60% of our clothing. These clothes not only take hundreds of years to biodegrade but are often cheap and poorly made. The result — nearly one billion items of clothing, each typically worn just five times — are thrown away every year.

In the meantime, leather, a natural by-product of the dairy and meat industries and our growing demand for food — from burgers to milkshakes, can be used to make items that last a lifetime and, when disposed of, biodegrade quickly. Leather is a perfect solution to one of fashion’s biggest problems, but each year almost half of the world’s cattle hides are just thrown away.

To encourage thinking about our planet’s future and to combat this waste, our judges challenge you to create an original, innovative, and visually stunning design, in one of three categories of apparel, accessories or footwear made from real cattle leather. They would also like to see how entrants approach creating garments that will not only last, but be loved, for a lifetime.

The competition, run with our partners at Arts Thread, opens January 3 2023, and closes on April 20 2023. Any entries submitted after that date will not be accepted.

THE BRIEF & DELIVERABLES

You are asked to use leather as the inspiration for a single item, either clothing, shoes, or accessories. Entries must be at least 50% cattle hide leather and any other materials used must be natural or organic materials where possible. We do not accept the use of fur or exotic skins. Plastics must only be used where no natural alternatives are available. We would like your piece to capture one or more of the facets of leather, from beauty and versatility to strength and durability.

Entries should include the following elements:

  1. A brief summary of your project provided in Mandarin and English.
  2. Storyboards and design inspiration.
  3. Sketches, flats, technical specifications, and final design (the item does not need to be physically made at this stage)
  4. A short two-minute video to introduce you and your design.  This is optional but encouraged, as it brings life to your project.

Please give consideration to ease of recycling, reuse and disposal at the end of the product’s life, and also think about the practicalities of commercial production, as we are looking for designers who will start new brands, fashion movements or slow-style trends.

A shortlist of the best entries will be presented to the judges, and the finalists will be asked to create their designs for the final judging element. The materials will be provided by Taiwan Regional Association of Tanneries and Taiwan International Leather Association.

THE PRIZE

Each of the three category winners will receive a trophy, a cash prize [amount to be determined by the regional organizers], certificate and Coffee Table Book covering the competition and including their entry.

The overall winner will be chosen from three categories, their design will be professionally made, and form part of a capsule collection showcasing the best international talent and unveiled at an event hosted in Europe in October 2023.

COMPETITION SPONSORS

Regional Sponsor: The Place Taipei

Diamond Sponsors: TYCHE LEATHER INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., JOLLITY ENTERPRISE CO., LTD, SYMBOL TRADING CO., LTD., ALLYASIA CO., LTD, Fortune Victoree Co., Ltd

Platinum Sponsors: PrimeAsia Leather Corporation, Tung Yang Trading Co., Ltd., Entire Co., Ltd., AXEL INCORPORATED, LIGO LEATHER ENTERPRISE CO., LTD, EVERLIGHT CHEMICAL INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION, HiFive Int’l Co., Ltd. (Cargill Cattle Hides Sales Representative)

Gold Sponsors: TAIWAN FOOTWEAR MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, TRAT(Taiwan Regional Association of Tanneries), TONG HONG TANNERY, CAHD ENTERPRISE CO., LTD, C.H.SAM INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD, Leather Chemicals CO.LTD, COLORMATE TRADING COMPANY, Weitai Leather Co., Ltd, RICHLAND LEATHER CO., LTD, LIEN SHUN YANG LEATHER CO., LTD, GROUND PONER ENTERPRISE CO., LTD, HUEI ING ENTERPRISE CO., LTD, TY Dynatan Trading Co.,Ltd, JIUH YI CHEMICAL INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.

台灣地區贊助: 南港老爺行旅,

鑽石贊助: 泰慶皮革塑膠工業()公司, 約泰實業()公司, 信保貿易實業()公司, 亞立貿易有限公司, 金吉勝股份有限公司(德昌

白金贊助: 普愛亞細亞皮革()公司, 東陽貿易()公司, 楹泰有限公司,楹泰有限公司, 昶揚有限公司, 利谷企業()公司, 台灣永光化學工業()公司, 國際有限公司

黃金贊助: 台灣區皮革工業同業公會, 台灣製鞋工業同業公會, 北海東紅製革有限公司(銀榮), 楷德企業有限公司, 磬宏國際實業有限公司, 革化有限公司, 佲峯貿易有限公司, 緯達皮革有限公司, 宏國皮革有限公司, 連順皮革(股)公司, 實全實業(股)公司, 輝鷹企業(股)公司,  明芯貿易有限公司, 聚益化學工業(股)公司

THE JUDGES

Yu Chun Chen

After studying metalwork and working in Italy for six years, and obtaining a Master’s degree in Applied Arts, Sandberg Institute in the Netherlands, She lived there for nine years and exhibited her works in galleries and exhibitions around the world. In 2012, she returned to Taiwan and continued to create jewellery while actively curating exhibitions. also founded and managed Mano Contemporary Jewellery Gallery until 2017, and currently continue to create works and collaborate with different organizations on curation.

 

Yuan-Chin Lin 

Yuan-Chin interned for many independent designers including Peter Pilotto、Giles、Marios Schwab while on her break from college. She worked as an assistant for Husam el Odeh, the renown jewelry designer who won British Fashion Award in 2010. She assisted on various projects including collaborations with Acne、Pringle、 Swarovski、Mihara Yasuhiro etc.

After relocation in Taipei, she worked for Makalot industrial CO as the women’s Ready-to-Wear team leader for 4 years. 

Yuan-Chin co-founded Alufai Studio in 2019, the brand has a rebellious yet romantic image and was soon nominated for the 7th Asia Fashion Collection award in Tokyo and selected for the Lane Crawford x Labelhood Shanghai list. Alufai Studio has a various media coverage including Vogue Taiwan, Elle Taiwan, Sicky Magazine, Nasty Magazine, Schön etc. and a strong celebrity/kol fans support. Alufai Studio currently stock at fashion boutique in Taipei, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Beijing, Fuzhou, Wuhu, Changchun. 

 

Mao Tsen Chang

Multiculture influenced fashion designer heed of trend and aesthetic. Educated in London and traveling between Paris, Shanghai and Taiwan have expanded solid experiences in fashion industry.

 

陳郁君

在義大利學習金工並工作闖蕩六年,繼續在荷蘭取得應用美術碩士學位並旅居九年,創作作品於世界各地的藝廊與展覽展出,2012年回到台灣持續從事金工創作及並積極從事策展,創立經營Mano慢鏝當代首飾藝廊至2017,目前持續創作並與不同單位合作策展,對歐洲設計有特別的喜好觀察,在東西方文化之間遊走。

 

林遠秦

留學期間於各獨立女裝品牌實習Peter Pilotto、Giles、Marios Schwab。

畢業後於British Fashion Award 得獎珠寶設計師 Husam el Odeh擔任珠寶設計助理及對外專案計畫,合作對象如 Acne、Pringle、 Swarovski、Mihara Yasuhiro 等知名品牌。

返台後任職於台灣前三大上市外銷成衣公司工作,四年期間帶領設計部門的四人女裝團隊。

2019年共同創立獨立設計品牌Alufai Studio, 品牌的叛逆浪漫風格強烈,受到Vogue Taiwan, Elle Taiwan, Sicky Magazine, Nasty Magazine, Schön等知名國內外媒體支持,同時累積了眾多明星粉絲。品牌建立初期即入選東京第七屆 Asia Fashion Collection台灣代表之一及連卡佛 x Labelhood初選,並於上海/成都/重慶/北京/福州/蕪湖/長春等城市均有合作實體店面展售。

 

張懋涔

張懋涔受到多元文化影響的時尚設計師注重趨勢和美學。在倫敦接受教育並往返於巴黎、上海和台灣,擁有豐富的時尚產業經驗。2014畢業於倫敦藝術大學織品毛衣系後續續攻讀英國皇家藝術學院針織女裝研究所. 在就學期間曾在英國服裝品牌MARY KANTRANTZOU 下實習。並且代表學校參加義大利 Pitti filatti 的毛衣設計比賽Feel the yarn. 以大膽的配色及拼接手法,獲得當年評選為最受矚目設計師之一。

2023 SHORTLISTED DESIGNERS

DRUNKARD'S UTOPIA

TSUNG CHIN TU

Shih Chien University

Fashion Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Design

ROUSE|回溯

YU-SHAN CHIEN

Shih Chien University

Fashion Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Apparel

Words cut deep

Chih Ying Lu

Shih Chien University

Costume Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Apparel

掩埋(Landfill)

JOU-WEN HUANG

Tainan University of Technology

Footwear & Accessory Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Footwear

New generation of Blue&White

KA YI TSUI

Shih Chien University

Fashion Design and Merchandising FDM

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Footwear

Surrounded by Technology

Pei Yi Dai

Fu Jen Catholic University

Fashion Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Footwear

Tafoni

KHENG YAO KANG

Shih Chien University

Fashion Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Footwear

Day & Night

Chia Chen Li

Shih Chien University

Fashion Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Accessories

Amis:勇士的祈願 / Amis: Warrior's Prayer

CHIH-CHIA LEE

Shih Chien University

Fashion Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Accessories

PUPA

TING-HSUAN HSU

Shih Chien University

Fashion Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Accessories

Gestation

Pei Yan Kang

Shih Chien University

Fashion Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Apparel

孔金/Kong Jin

Fu Yu Zhang

台南應用科技大學

Fashion Design BFA

Competitions: Taiwan Region, International

Footwear

Working with our partners at Arts Thread to develop lifelong learning and career opportunities for students of fashion and design. Our partnership provides the opportunity to compete on a world stage, participate in industry led workshops, set up an outstanding portfolio and gain access to the resources that will kickstart careers in fashion and design.